Never
trust whites, says Mugabe

Cape Town -
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has castigated Western leaders, saying
that they could use Zimbabweans to fight against each other in their
endeavour to "exploit" the country, according to a report on
Friday.

According to the Herald online, Mugabe urged Zimbabweans to
be "cautious of Western leaders who praise them as good leaders while arming
them to work against their people".

"There are some among us who are
leaning a lot against the whites. If you lean on these people and fail to
see that you are being used, then you are a fool," he said in Zimbabwe's
Shona language.

Mugabe was speaking a few days after Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai hailed the European Union's decision to suspend most of
the sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwe in 2002.

"Some of us have
scars inflicted by the colonial settlers during the period we were fighting
against them. But some of us choose to ignore this... They are called good
leaders and are equated to Mandela [Nelson Mandela]. And yet they are being
used to fight against their own," he said.

Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard early this week equated Tsvangirai to former South African
president Nelson Mandela.

Mugabe also urged Zimbabweans in the Diaspora
to return home and benefit from Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and empowerment
programme for the development of the country.

He said the country’s
struggle had moved to the economy since Zimbabweans took over the
land.

"We have the knowledge and we are saying now we can mine our
minerals," he said.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai were forced into a
coalition government three years ago to avoid a tip into fully-fledged
conflict following a bloody presidential run-off election. - News24

Goche’s
Ministry Responsible for Air Zim Woes: Kaseke

Harare, July 29
,2012-ZimbabweTourism Authority Chief Executive Karikoga Kaseke says
Transport and Communications Ministry is responsible for the total collapse
the National Airliner, Air Zimbabwe which is now grounded.

Nicholas Goche
of Zanu (PF) is in charge of the Transport and Communications
Ministry.

“What can we say about problems which our national Airliner
is facing? This is what we see if companies are not being properly managed.
Air Zimbabwe became relaxed, like a kid whose father doers not want him to
play with others, the kid becomes proud of himself. Air Zimbabwe does not
want to be competed against.

“It has been protected by the Ministry
of Transport and Communications; even if they are here they are hearing me
saying our Airliner should not have competitors,” Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
Chief Executive Kaseke told business people witnessing the launch two state
of art coaches by a local transport company Pathfinder in Harare, at the
end of the week.

Problems continue at the state-run airline, Air Zimbabwe
with reports saying it is now operating obsolete aircraft equipment which
warrants the shutting down of the airline.

Out of the remaining four
airplanes which Air Zimbabwe is left with one is operational and is
currently servicing the Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls routes while all
of the three Chinese-manufactured planes are grounded.

Kaseke said it
was shocking to note that a national airliner is failing to fly domestic
routes.

“How can a national Airliner flies between the Capital city of
the country and the tourism city of Southern Africa Victoria falls which is
in the same country three times a month? It should be flying three times a
day as a minimum,” Kaseke added.

Workers at the national Airliner
said the company is suffering as a result of undercapitalisation, massive
looting and commandeering of planes by politicians.

As a result has
suffered declining bookings, rolling strikes and staff exodus. The national
airliner owes millions of dollars to its workers in salary arrears.

Principals
fail to attend prayer meeting

HARARE - The much-talked
about Harare Peace Prayer rally turned into a dumb squib as Zanu PF,
fingered in most reported violent incidences, boycotted the event despite
having confirmed attendance.

Deputy President John Nkomo and other Zanu
PF officials who were invited and had confirmed attendance even as late as
yesterday morning never turned up according to Reverend Watson
Furayi.

“Nkomo said he is on his way, while the other officials also
confirmed their attendance just a few hours ago. It is just unfortunate
they did not come,” an exasperated Furayi said.

In his speech, Furayi
said Zimbabweans should pray for everything.

“Our country has leaders who
believe they are God-ordained so we want to pray for them so that Zimbabwe
will be a country of peace.

“We want to pray for the police, army, the
Prime Minister and the President so that we can have peace in this country,
kwete kuti kana tava kuita maelections vanhu vorovana, vhotai nerunyararo,”
said (We do not want people to fight over elections, vote in peace)
Furayi.

On the other hand, the MDC for which Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai was supposed to attend, instead sent Information Communication
Technology minister and party organising secretary Nelson
Chamisa.

Chamisa encouraged Zimbabweans to be peaceful particularly
during the much-anticipated watershed elections set to be held next
year.

“There is no country which runs without peace and Jesus, even when
there is no electricity we have to pray hard. If we pray for Zimbabwe, we
can have peace and prosperity in the country,” said Chamisa.

He urged
the people at the campaign to pray for peace no matter what situations they
are involved in.

Chamisa denounced violence and bloodshed saying
differences in opinion should never translate into enmity.

“Father we
pray that there will be no short sleeves and long sleeves in the country,”
said Chamisa in his prayer that drew applause from nearly a thousand
people.

Other MDC officials who were present at the prayer meeting
include chief secretary to the Prime Minister, Ian Makone and Glen View
South legislator Paul Madzore among others.

The peace prayer meeting,
hosted by Zimbabwe Pastors’ Fellowship, has seen prayer meetings held across
the country.

Deadlock
over Mugabe successor

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe was forced
into a nerve-wrecking 15-hour marathon politburo meeting on Friday as
warring Zanu PF factions battling to replace the 88-year-old leader fiercely
quarrelled over the octogenarian leader’s successor.

Mugabe, who has
held on to power since the country attained independence and has in the past
few years battled ill-health and advanced age, has failed to appoint a
successor and reportedly wants to die in office.

So sticky is the
succession issue in Zanu PF that the special politburo meeting on Friday
spent time discussing the issue of running mates as the dog-eat-dog fight to
replace Mugabe turned fierce.

A close in the new draft constitution
stipulates that every presidential candidate would be required to nominate
two persons to stand for election jointly with him or her as vice presidents
— running mates — and must designate one of them as his or her candidate for
first vice president and the other as the second vice president.

This
is the clause that torched a storm in Friday’s meeting and reports indicate
that Mugabe was cornered to an extent that he promised to discuss the issue
with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at their meeting tomorrow.

The
Daily News on Sunday has been told that the meeting was so fierce that at
one point Mugabe almost lost control amid reports that Zanu PF heavyweights
are against the idea of having the veteran leader appoint a successor
through the running mate clause in the new constitution.

Already Zanu PF
is divided into five factions, one led by Mugabe himself and the others by
Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President Joice Mujuru, the
military side and a group of young politicians calling themselves Generation
40. Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo confirmed the stormy meeting but
refused to talk about the succession issue:

“We had a long discussion on
the constitution that ended around 1:30am this morning (yesterday). It was a
robust debate, very candid; we have set up a committee headed by our
negotiators that is looking at issues raised by members."

“The party
has not taken a position on the draft constitution but should be able to
communicate a position by Wednesday next week,” Gumbo said.

However,
highly-placed insiders told the Daily News on Sunday the situation was more
than candid.

“It was hot, rather boiling and at times inconsiderate to
ageing members like the President but it had to be done although really
nothing came out of it. The sticky issue of running mates took most of the
time.“The clause runs against Zanu PF’s constitution because congress
decides on who leads the party while according to this new constitution,
Mugabe has the chance to decide on who should succeed him,” said the
insider.

He said an air of uncertainty now pervades leading factions in
the former ruling party including Mujuru, who benefited from Mugabe’s move
to disband District Coordinating Committees (DCCs) after being trounced by
Mnangagwa.

“It is a pear-shaped situation in which nobody knows who will
benefit from a Mugabe nomination of running mates so those who thought they
had grassroots in the bag (Mnangagwa) are now demanding that congress should
be allowed to choose the running mate."

“Mnangagwa feels his chances
are safer that way, while Mujuru seems to have little trust that Mugabe will
nominate her. Mugabe is a wily old fox who could spring a surprise,” the
source said.

The disbandment of DCCs has met with
dogged resistance particularly from Midlands Province where Mnangagwa comes
from.

Mnangagwa, a close ally of the 88-year-old leader, has been tipped
as Mugabe’s heir apparent but the “running mates” clause in the constitution
might put him at a disadvantage because of his position in the
party.

The matter was put on hold as the “running mates” clause in the
new draft constitution took centre stage.The meeting ran into the early
hours of yesterday as factions jostled to impose their authority on the
contents of the draft constitution.

But Gumbo tried to circumvent the
issue when asked and could neither deny nor confirm if Mugabe would discuss
the issue with Tsvangirai.

“No, those are some people who want to
complicate matters. I cannot disclose the finer details of our discussions.
Suffice to say our discussions were amicable, there was nothing untoward. If
anyone gives information saying Zanu PF has taken a position they are taking
you up the garden path,” Gumbo said.

Mugabe’s leadership succession
battle has now become one of the biggest political questions in Zimbabwe,
intertwined as it is with the fate of Zanu PF and the nation.

The Registrar-General’s office, after receiving queries from
Madhuku, invited him to their offices only to detain him before calling the
police.

Madhuku, who was detained at Harare Central Police Station on
Monday was freed on $50 bail on Thursday.

As part of efforts by the
Daily News on Sunday to scrutinise the voters’ roll and the voter
registration process, our other correspondent, Jeffrey Muvundusi in Bulawayo
shares a story of how a section of the population risks losing out in the
next election.

They are some of the most abused people in the urban set
up.

Yet having their voices heard is proving a far cry.

Suffering
some of the worst abuses-from difficult landlords and non-delivering
councils that have made water shortages and free flowing sewer a part of
nearly every resident’s daily part of life, lodgers are at the receiving end
of the stick.

With elections nearing and desperate to have their voices
heard, lodgers, despite making the biggest urban population are likely to
come out muted-thanks to a government that cares little about people who do
not own houses.

In Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo, they are
finding it hard to register as voters. Some are even unaware voter
registration is underway.

A date for elections is yet to be set but it is
almost certain they will happen by the end of next June and with the Supreme
Court insisting on President Robert Mugabe gazetting election dates for
vacant parliamentary constituencies by the end of August, a mini general
election can be held any time soon.

The Daily News on Sunday visited
voter registration offices in Bulawayo and discovered that registration is
going on amid a sluggish response from residents.

The
Registrar-General’s offices visited by this paper were recording at least 10
people per day, according to officials manning the offices.

However, some
of the first time voters were turned away for failing to meet the
requirements.

The few voters going for registration do so through
mobilisation by either civil society groups or political
parties.

Residents gave different accounts concerning their response to
the on-going voter registration exercise.

“There is lack of
prioritisation of voters by the Registrar General’s office in Bulawayo where
voters are made to stand in long, winding queues together with those who
want to apply for national identity cards,” said Makokoba resident Makhosi
Nyoni.

“That alone is a major setback as some give up because the whole
set up is tedious and time-consuming.”

Mandla Mguni of Emganwini
suburb said: “I am a lodger in Emganwini but the problem is my wife and I
have since failed to register because clerks demanded that I should bring my
landlord’s Identity Card."

“My landlord is based outside the country and
I do not have a proof of residence and his ID.”

Bulawayo has 12
constituencies. Lodgers in the city face problems when it comes to proof of
residence as some have lease agreements obliging rates to be settled through
estate agents.

Due to the apparent tedious process to get the much needed
documentary proof, many potential voters have either abandoned the idea of
registering or are simply ignoring the exercise.

Registration points
in Bulawayo include Pumula, Emakhandeni, Nketa, Mpilo, UBH, Drill Hall and
Tredgold building which houses the Magistrates Court.

Coventry reaches women’s 100m
backstroke semis

2008 silver medalist finished
4th in her heat and will now fight for a spot in the finals

Zimbabwe's Kirsty
Coventry has progressed into tonight’s semi- finals of the 100m backstroke at
the Aquatics Centre of the London 2012 Olympics.

The 2008 silver medalist finished fourth in her
heat and will now fight for a spot in the finals against the world’s
best.

Around 10,500 athletes from 204 nations are
participating in the London 2012 Olympics over the coming weeks and none are
probably more important to their country than Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry of
Zimbabwe.

The swimmer competed in all three Olympics of
the previous decade, winning a gold, a silver and a bronze in Athens and three
silvers and a gold in Beijing four years later.

Now at 28 she enters her fourth Olympics in
London as Zimbabwe’s second-ever Olympic medallist since the country was
recognised as an independent state in 1980, three years before Kirsty’s
birth.

In one of the world’s most divided nations,
Kirsty’s success and demeanour have shone like a beacon of pride for all
Zimbabweans, regardless of colour, social-standing or political affiliation.
President Robert Mugabe has christened her the nation’s “Golden Girl” post her
2008 success. She’s also white. It’s complicated.

Sport can be dangerous in Zimbabwe whatever your
background. Henry Olonga and Andy Flower were black and white respectively, but
were effectively exiled in the wake of their protest against Mugabe’s rule in
2003. White cricket captain Heath Streak’s father’s farm was seized for
redistribution as part of the forceful repossession of land by Mugabe’s
government.

Mugabe will associate himself with successful
sports people, while punishing any sports star that voices opposition to his
reign.

Outside of sport, things have quietened down
since the near-civil war between Mugabe’s Zanu PF and current Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC in 2008. The country has experienced over 90 per cent
unemployment in the past few years and hyperinflation has seen the introduction
of such extreme measures as the Zimbabwean trillion dollar bill.

In short, things have been very difficult but
in Coventry they have possibly the only unifying force in the
country.

On a pedestal

When I speak to Kirsty she is in peppy form,
bright and engaging, I immediately ask her a downer question – it must be a lot
of pressure being seen in that way and being put on a pedestal?

“Yeah I think being somewhat removed from it on
a daily basis,” she answers before pausing to consider her next word as she is
careful about this sensitive subject, “I’m maybe put on a pedestal and lot of
people look up to me, but that’s what’s driving me and encouraging
me.

“So I’ve been very lucky with the community in
Zimbabwe being behind me and backing me up, it’s such an honour...such a great
honour,” she says.

“I’m very proud to be Zimbabwean and to
represent Zimbabwe. I’ve always tried not to read too much or involve too much
politics in my sport...it’s not ignorance, I mean I know exactly what’s going
on...” she says saliently, before offering a nearby and immediate vision for
what sport can do in Zimbabwe.

“You know if you look at other countries like
South Africa and what a rugby game can do to unify a country and that’s how I
kind of want to look at and approach my sport in swimming,” referring to the
1995 World Cup win for Zimbabwe’s neighbours that healed some rifts leftover by
apartheid a few years previously.

It’s a positive, yet non-confrontational
approach that Kirsty evidentially wants to adopt, you mention her words after
the 2008 World Short Course Championship, the closest she came to making a
political statement in the past: “I know that's part of why I'm doing what I do.
I hope it makes a difference and gives people back home hope that things will
change for the better. People have to remain positive and believe in those
dreams. It's really important."

Her tone turns from peppy to serious for a
moment when you repeat these words to her, it’s clear that this is an important
point. “It is really important. You have to believe in yourself and each
other."

London 2012

It was at the Olympics in 2004 that Kirsty first
broke onto the scene, winning three medals (a bronze in the 200m Individual
Medley, a silver in the 100metres backstroke and a gold in the 200metres
backstroke. Beijing brought more medals but it sounds like she is taking London
2012 in her stride.

“I’m going to be swimming three events, the
100metre backstroke, the 200m backstroke and the 200m Individual medley, I
decided to drop the 400m after dislocating my knee and getting pneumonia a
couple of months ago.

“I’m looking to go to London to have fun and
enjoy it and I’m confident with my training and where I am and my experience.
This being my fourth Olympics...I’d love to get on the podium, I know it’s going
to be a lot harder than in previous years, but I’m up for that
challenge.”

The future

Regardless of the outcome at these Olympics
she’s taking some time off to relax before embarking on another chapter of her
life. After a safari holiday at home, politics looms for Kirsty. Having worked
with Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s charitable foundation Lapdesk, Kirsty hopes to
become one of four new athlete representatives on International Olympics
Committee.

“Yeah, you know I’d love to be involved with the
IOC in the future in any way I can. I’d love to do that and regardless of when I
retire I would love to stay involved in my sport and sports in general
especially having seen the impact that I’ve been able to make at home and I’d
love to carry that on.

“I’d love to keep that part of my life and
bridge that gap between business and sports and seeing it grow because as I said
sport is wonderful way to bring people together. “

Whether in the pool or in Parliament, Zimbabwe
needs her. Mugabe may only be right about one thing the past few years. She is
the country’s Golden Girl.

Londoners welcomed Olympic visitors
from all over the world. And being in the centre of the capital we at the Vigil
saw people from many different nationalities as they passed on their way to see
the end of the cycling road race in The Mall, less than a mile from us. Many
expressed interest in our cause and signed our petitions.

The Vigil promises an even warmer
welcome for the Zanu PF people delisted from targeted sanctions under the EU’s
promise to suspend some of the measures if the constitution referendum is held
satisfactorily. (Even if it is rejected?) As we expected, Zanu PF has spat on
the EU’s offer. Their spokesman Rugare Gumbo said: ‘It’s all nonsense . . .
their decision on sanctions makes no difference’ (see: http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jul26_2012.html#Z25
– The Lifting of Zim Sanctions and the
Shape of Politics to Come). So much for the damage caused by
sanctions!

The UK government may think these rogues are acceptable
but we don’t and will try to give them a suitable reception if they come here,
as we have done recently for President Sata of Zambia and King Mswati III of
Swaziland. We will follow them wherever they go, broadcasting their crimes.
Indeed, we are exploring ways of getting them arrested on human rights charges.
THE VIGIL WILL BE GRATEFUL TO BE INFORMED OF ANY FORTHCOMING VISITS BY THESE
NEW FRIENDS OF THE EU.

As far as the
proposed new constitution goes, we’ve received the following email from Vigil
supporter Wilbert Mukori asking our position on this: ‘ Zimvigil is an important
opinion maker and many people will be looking to it to help them decide what to
make of the new constitution. In my view this new constitution is not going to
do anything to stop the scourge of political violence that has become an
integral part of Zimbabwe political life. Zanu PF forced through all the key
changes they wanted. MDC desperately need to see this constitution approved not
because they think it has any good things but they need something to show for
their four years in this GNU. It would be folly to vote for this constitution
just to save Tsvangirai from the blushes for his blundering failures. What is
Zimvigil's position as regards the new constitution?’

Here is the reply we
sent him: “In our weekly diary, the Vigil has always described the
Constitutional Outreach Programme as the Constitutional Outrage Programme,
reflecting our view that it has been a time-wasting, self-enrichment fraud by
politicians and their lackeys, including some elements in the NGOs. The 3.5 year
programme could have been concluded in 3.5 months so that more attention could
have been given to the real business: a cleaned-up electoral roll and reformed
electoral processes. A check of our supporters could not come up with anyone who
had yet read the 168 page constitution – still, no doubt, to be revised – but we
have followed the debate about it. The constitution will no doubt be dumped
after the elections and to us it is only as good as the will to respect it. We
have no confidence that Zanu PF will do anything but subvert the law for its own
purposes as it always has done. One sure way to get rich in Zimbabwe – apart
from being a politician – is to bet that the election will be
stolen.”

An impassioned
response to the draft constitution has come from the dispossessed farmer Ben
Freeth in an open letter to the parliamentarians Senator David Coltart and Eddie
Cross MP. He says the constitution legitimizes land seizures and racial
discrimination. Senator Coltart replied that he does not like many aspects of
the draft constitution but it is the best the MDC can get (see: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/427-ben-freeths-letter
for this correspondence). The Zimbabwean economist Dale Dore challenges this
argument head on and said Zimbabweans must not be blackmailed into accepting the
unacceptable (see: What is David Coltart saying? –http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jul29_2012.html#Z13).

For her part, Cathy
Buckle in her latest letter from Zimbabwe, warns that the proposed constitution
could lead to a new land grab as it legitimizes those in possession when the
constitution comes in to force (see: Cathy Buckle’s
Letter from Zimbabwe: Another land grab inevitable – http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jul28_2012.html#Z24).

Other
points

·The
Vigil continued to grieve for our departed friend Bernard Hukwa. People were
invited to write their thoughts in a remembrance book for him. Some of the
comments were:

-Bernard, you suffered
silently. Sorry I wasn’t there when you needed someone for support. Rest in
peace. – Mai Zhuga (Josephine)

-It is so sad to hear
about your passing. We will miss you. – Hilda Gwesele and Esi Mbaluka from
Coventry

-MDC UK, The Vigil and
the Zimbabwean diaspora are not going to be the same without you. So sad you
went without saying goodbye. You will be greatly missed. RIP. – Kelvin Kamipura
and Fran Toft

-Bernard we will
always cherish and love you. It’s all because of Mugabe. Rest in peace. – Ellen
Gonyoa

-Bernard may your soul
rest in in peace. We really miss you at the Vigil. – Mary
Muteyerwa

-A great friend, you
were an army commander against the regime. – Martin
Chinyanga

-Rest in peace
brother. You will be greatly missed. – T Mahachi

-Bernard you have left
us speechless. Anywhere rest in peace – you will reach home. – Peter
Lakatika

-Lala kuhle qhawe. –
Nokutula Bhebhe

A
collection was started for his family to which people contributed very
generously. We will continue the collection next week. Supporters want to hold a
memorial service for him but it was agreed that we should await the Coroner’s
Inquest before organizing this. We received an email advising us that memorial
services were being held for him at two day care centres in Southwark where he
volunteered. It said ‘So many people miss
him and talk about him being gentle and kind.’

·A new
ruling by the UK Supreme Court appears to offer new hope to Zimbabwean asylum
seekers. The ruling suggests that any Zimbabwean who has been in the UK for some
time and who has claimed asylum should succeed because they will find it very
hard to demonstrate that they are loyal to the Mugabe regime if they are
returned home (for an analysis of the ruling, see: http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jul27_2012.html#Z10
– UK
Supreme Court makes key Zimbabwe asylum ruling).

·We were
pleased to hear from Vigil management team member Moses Kandiyawo about his
marriage to Nancy Makawa. Nancy was recently in detention and Moses fought very
hard to get her out.

·We were
joined by several Sudanese activists campaigning against the Khartoum
government. They are studying how the Vigil works with the intention of having
their own regular vigils outside the Sudanese Embassy.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they
cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil
website.

·ROHR North East
Fundraising Event. Saturday
18th August from 2 – 7 pm. Venue: Longbenton
Methodist Church Hall, Chesters Avenue, Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12
8QP. Directions: from Four Lane Ends Metro Station, start out on Benton Road.
At roundabout take the first exit onto West Farm Avenue. Turn left onto Chesters
Avenue. For more information contact Tapiwa Merrymore Semwayo on
07412236229, Catherine Tshezi on 07428189705 and Susan Ndhlovu on
07767024586.

·Zimbabwe Action Forum
(ZAF). Saturday
1st September from 6.30 – 9.30 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel
(first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. Directions: The Strand is the
same road as the Vigil. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the
direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the
south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo
Bridge. The entrance is marked by a big sign high above and a sign for its
famous Indian restaurant at street level. It's next to a newsagent. Nearest
underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn. Future special
ZAF meetings: Saturday 13th October when we mark the
10th anniversary of the Vigil and Saturday 10th November
when our special guest will be Ben Freeth. These two meetings will take the
place of the regular ZAF meetings in October and November. Both events at 6.30
pm at Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R
1JA. For directions see entry above.

·The Rain that Washes
showing at The
Lounge, Leicester Square Theatre, from Monday 17th September –
Saturday 6th October at 7 pm. Check:http://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/126523428/events
or phone the booking
line: 08448733433 for specific dates and
to book tickets. ‘Instantly plunged into a young man’s compelling
story of growing up in turbulent Zimbabwe, we live and breathe his extraordinary
journey from innocence to escape, finally returning to his homeland to witness
the greatest betrayal of all . . . Inspired by a series of interviews between
Zimbabwean Christopher Maphosa and writer Dave Carey, The Rain That Washes is a
true story that is poignant, political and, most of all, personal’.

·The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other
website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the
views and opinions of ROHR.

·ZBN
News. The Vigil
management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not
responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that
they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no
control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News.

The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.

Zimbabwe:
The crooked timber of humanity

No country can
ever progress significantly without some consensus and collective momentum
towards ideas about its future

Nandan Nilekani, the author of the book:
"Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation" left some fascinating ideas
in my mind with regard to my country Zimbabwe, and where it is going. In his
video about the book, he speaks about ideas that have arrived, ideas in
contest and ideas in anticipation. I have found it a very valuable way of
imagining Zimbabwe's probable future.

In case of Zimbabwe, despite
all the intellectual capital we have, I do not think that we have created a
broad church of consensus about the future. I noticed with interest, for
example, that they were two mining conferences going on in the same week,
several investment conferences and many more on this sector and that
sector. We seem to talk a lot here in Harare! What is further disturbing is
that, each group, gathering or conference has its own agendas and ideas
about the future. This has resulted in disjointed efforts towards creating a
progressive business and socio-political environment. Added to this, are the
political parties who seem not only to have different ideas about the
future, but unnecessarily slug it out daily in public arena creating an
environment of confusion and paralysis.

If we begin to talk about ideas
that have arrived, it is clear that everyone now accepts that we must have a
new constitution, that local Zimbabweans must now play a more meaningful
ownership role in shaping their own future. Thank goodness the era of
dictatorship by politicians is fast coming to an end. The idea of a new
democracy underpinned by the right of every Zimbabweans to pursue their
ambitions has now arrived.

Ideas in contest, include the extent of the
deepening of a new emerging democracy in Zimbabwe, and the role of a
powerless ZANU(PF). Will it play a constructive or destructive role in a new
dispensation? Zimbabweans have really never tasted a participative democracy
and, although this is an idea whose time has arrived, one can contest the
likely nature and extent of an open society that we seek to create. In other
words, each one of us has their own ideas about what democracy really means
and it will take some doing to attain a national consensus on what it really
means despite us having a new constitution.

Another fundamental idea
in contest is, of course, on the economic front with regard to the nature,
extent and flexibility of indigenising the country. There is a false belief
within ZANU(PF) that indigenisation will save its political fortunes. I
however differ, and compare them to an abusive husband, who continually
brings home a bunch of roses after each episode of abuse.

This time,
the bunch of roses being indigenization. Zimbabweans have just had enough;
too many promises have been cleverly framed as the evil works of imperialism
while the visible avarice and selfishness of our politicians have created
wide chasm between the ordinary folk and the politicians. In my opinion,
indigenization will not turn the tide of discontent of the
masses.

Another idea in contest is that of the status and role of
Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. Zimbabwe, is the only country that I know of
that has not capitalised of its citizens that are outside the country. This
can be such a competitive advantage to the country in the future. What a
pity because in those Zimbabwean brains all over the world, lies hidden so
much potential that can advance this country in a very short period of
time.

Then there is what Nandan Nilekani calls "ideas in anticipation".
These are ideas that will shape the future that we must anticipate now. In
the case of Zimbabwe, the major idea in anticipation is the acceleration of
economic development through the use of new technologies and the attraction
of foreign investment.

Zimbabwe has fallen behind significantly in
all areas and it will be critical that we use new technology to take the
leap into the future. Zimbabwe has some compelling ideas in anticipation on
energy, on information and communications technology, agriculture and mining
but the fundamental problem is that, there is no national vision on what
must happen, how it must happen, when and where it must happen.

I
have sadly noted that, the ideas about the future that we currently have,
have been boxed into either "the MDC strategy" and the "ZANU(PF) strategy".
We therefore do not have "the Zimbabwe strategy" about the future.. We are
not thinking as a nation but are busy scheming and protecting our political
or economic turf.

Ideas in anticipation can only become reality when
there is no disconnect between the politicians who must set the vision for
the country, business people who must invest and labour who must work to
create the future."Out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing
was ever made" as stated by Immanuel Kant the German philosopher, aptly
describes our situation.

In my opinion, no country can ever progress
significantly without some consensus and collective momentum towards ideas
about its future. We are caught a spider's web of our own making and what we
need is to begin to build a national consensus on what Zimbabwe will look
like in the future. If we fail to do that now, we will manage this country
through crisis, as has been the case in the last ten years or so. We all
know what the results will be: confusion, chaos, corruption, greed, poverty
and regression.

Vince Musewe is an independent economist currently in
Harare. You may contact him on vtmusewe@gmail.com